''Asparagus'' is a genus of

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

s in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily

Asparagoideae Asparagoideae is a subfamily of monocot flowering plants in the family Asparagaceae, order Asparagales, according to the APG III system of 2009. The subfamily name is derived from the generic name of the type genus, ''Asparagus''. The group h ...

. It comprises up to 300

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

. Most are

evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season. This also pertains to plants that retain their foliage only in warm climates, and contrasts with deciduous plants, whic ...

long-lived

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wid ...

plants growing from the

understory In forestry and ecology, understory (American English), or understorey (Commonwealth English), also known as underbrush or undergrowth, includes plant life growing beneath the forest canopy without penetrating it to any great extent, but abo ...

as lianas, bushes or climbing plants. The best-known species is the edible ''

Asparagus officinalis Asparagus, or garden asparagus, folk name sparrow grass, scientific name ''Asparagus officinalis'', is a perennial flowering plant species in the genus ''Asparagus''. Its young shoots are used as a spring vegetable. It was once classified in ...

'', commonly referred to as just ''asparagus''. Some other members of the genus, such as ''

Asparagus densiflorus ''Asparagus densiflorus'', the asparagus fern, plume asparagus or foxtail fern, is a variable evergreen perennial plant, closely related to the vegetable asparagus. It is native to southern Africa, from Mozambique to South Africa, but is wide ...

'', are grown as

ornamental plant Ornamental plants or garden plants are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars that ...

Ecology

The genus includes a variety of living forms, occurring from rainforest to semi-desert habitats; many are climbing plants. Most are dispersed by birds. Ornamental species such as '' Asparagus plumosus'', ''

Asparagus aethiopicus ''Asparagus aethiopicus'', Sprenger's asparagus, is a plant native to the Cape Provinces and the Northern Provinces of South Africa. Often used as an ornamental plant, it is considered an invasive weed in many locations. Asparagus fern, asparagus ...

'', ''

Asparagus setaceus ''Asparagus setaceus'', commonly known as common asparagus fern, asparagus grass, lace fern, climbing asparagus, or ferny asparagus, is a climbing plant in the genus '' Asparagus''. Despite its common name, the plant is not a true fern, but has l ...

'', and '' Asparagus virgatus'' are finely branched and are misleadingly known as "asparagus fern". In the Macaronesian Islands, several species (such as '' Asparagus umbellatus'' and '' Asparagus scoparius'') grow in moist laurel forest habitat, and preserve the original form of a leafy vine. In the drier Mediterranean climate the asparagus genus evolved in the

Tertiary Tertiary ( ) is a widely used but obsolete term for the geologic period from 66 million to 2.6 million years ago. The period began with the demise of the non-avian dinosaurs in the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event, at the start ...

into thorny, drought-adapted species. Root tubers are storage organs developed by ''Asparagus'' species and are a valuable source of moisture and nutrition for species growing under drought conditions. Many species, particularly from Africa, were once included in separate genera such as Protasparagus and Myrsiphyllum. However, partly in response to the implications of the discovery of new species, those genera have been reunited under ''Asparagus''. Species in this genus vary in their appearance, from unarmed herbs to wiry, woody climbers with formidable hooked spines that earn them vernacular names such as "cat thorn" and "wag 'n bietjie" (literally "wait a bit"). Most species have photosynthetic flattened stems, called

phylloclade Phylloclades and cladodes are flattened, photosynthetic shoots, which are usually considered to be modified branches. The two terms are used either differently or interchangeably by different authors. '' Phyllocladus'', a genus of conifer, is nam ...

s, instead of true leaves. ''

'', '' Asparagus schoberioides'', and '' Asparagus cochinchinensis'' are dioecious species, with male and female flowers on separate plants.

Selected species

, the

World Checklist of Selected Plant Families The World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (usually abbreviated to WCSP) is an "international collaborative programme that provides the latest peer reviewed and published opinions on the accepted scientific names and synonyms of selected pla ...

accepts 212 species of ''Asparagus'', including: *''

Asparagus acutifolius ''Asparagus acutifolius'', common name wild asparagus, is an evergreen perennial plant belonging to the genus ''Asparagus''. The Binomial nomenclature, specific epithet, , meaning "thorny leaves", is derived from Latin (pointed, acute), and (-l ...

'' *''

'' (= ''Asparagus sprengeri'', ''Protasparagus aethiopicus'') – ground asparagus, asparagus fern, (''S. Afr''.) emerald fern, basket asparagus **''Asparagus aethiopicus'' 'Sprengeri' – Sprenger's asparagus *''

Asparagus africanus ''Asparagus africanus'', also known as African asparagus, bush asparagus, wild asparagus, climbing asparagus fern, ornamental asparagus and sparrow grass, is an African species of plant that is found in a variety of habitats. It has multiple medi ...

'' (= ''Protasparagus africanus'') – African asparagus *''

Asparagus asparagoides ''Asparagus asparagoides'', commonly known as bridal creeper, bridal-veil creeper, ''gnarboola'', smilax or smilax asparagus, is a herbaceous climbing plant of the family Asparagaceae native to eastern and southern Africa. Sometimes grown as an ...

'' ( = ''Myrsiphyllum asparagoides'') – smilax, African asparagus fern, (''Austr''.) bridal creeper *'' Asparagus burchellii'' – southern Cape, South Africa *'' Asparagus cochinchinensis'' – ''Tian men dong'' (天門冬) in Chinese. The roots and stems are used in traditional Chinese and Korean medicine. *'' Asparagus declinatus'' – foxtail asparagus fern, (''Austr''.) bridal veil *'' Asparagus capensis'' *'' Asparagus curillus'' – Himalayas *''

'' (= ''Protasparagus densiflorus'') *'' Asparagus exuvialis'' – southern Cape, South Africa *'' Asparagus falcatus'' – large forest sicklethorn of southern Africa *'' Asparagus fallax'' – esparraguera de monteverde. Macaronesian native flora. *'' Asparagus flagellaris'' *'' Asparagus horridus'' – Mediterranean, Arabian Peninsula, Macaronesia. *''

Asparagus krebsianus ''Asparagus krebsianus'' is a shrub of the ''Asparagus'' genus that is indigenous to rocky areas in South Africa. Description It has tuberous roots, and smooth, grey-green, scrambling-twining, sometimes zig-zagged stems. Stems and branches all h ...

'' – southern Cape, South Africa *'' Asparagus laricinus'' – katbos *'' Asparagus lignosus'' *'' Asparagus macowanii'' (= ''Protasparagus macowanii'') *'' Asparagus mariae'' – southern Cape, South Africa *'' Asparagus maritimus'' *'' Asparagus mucronatus'' – southern Cape, South Africa *'' Asparagus multiflorus'' – southern Cape, South Africa *'' Asparagus nesiotes'' – esparraguera majorera. Macaronesian native flora. *''

'' – asparagus **''Asparagus officinalis'' subsp. ''officinalis'' – garden asparagus **''Asparagus officinalis'' subsp. ''prostratus'' *'' Asparagus ovatus'' – southern Cape, South Africa *'' Asparagus pastorianus'' – esparraguera espinablanca. Macaronesian native flora. *'' Asparagus persicus'' *''

Asparagus racemosus ''Asparagus racemosus'' (satavar, shatavari, or shatamull, shatawari) is a species of asparagus common throughout India and the Himalayas. and northern Australia. It grows tall and prefers to take root in gravelly, rocky soils high up in piedmon ...

'' – ''Shatavari'' in Hindi. The roots are used in

Ayurvedic Medicine Ayurveda () is an alternative medicine system with historical roots in the Indian subcontinent. The theory and practice of Ayurveda is pseudoscientific. Ayurveda is heavily practiced in India and Nepal, where around 80% of the population rep ...

. *'' Asparagus retrofractus'' *'' Asparagus rubicundus'' *'' Asparagus scandens'' – krulkransie of the Western Cape, South Africa *'' Asparagus schoberioides'' *'' Asparagus scoparius'' – ''esparragón raboburro''. Macaronesian native flora. *''

'' (= ''Protasparagus setaceus'', ''A. plumosus'') – lace fern, asparagus fern, florist's fern, (''Austr''.) climbing asparagus *'' Asparagus striatus'' – bergappel of the Western Cape to Free State, South Africa *'' Asparagus suaveolens'' *'' Asparagus tenuifolius'' *'' Asparagus umbellatus'' – esparraguera común. Macaronesian native flora. *'' Asparagus vaginellatus'' Bojer ex Baker *'' Asparagus virgatus''

Pests and diseases

Asparagus beetle ''Crioceris'', or asparagus beetle, is a genus of the family Chrysomelidae of beetles. The name is neo-Latin from Greek , ram and , horn. Not all species in the genus ''Crioceris'' feed on asparagus (e.g., ''C. nigropicta''). Some studies have f ...

(''Crioceris asparagi'') * Spotted asparagus beetle (''Crioceris duodecimpunctata'') *

Asparagus miner The asparagus miner (''Ophiomyia simplex'' Loew; Diptera; Agromyzidae) is a Generalist and specialist species, specialist insect that lives on asparagus plants (''Asparagus officinalis'' L.) and is a problem for asparagus growers. It is shiny bl ...

(''Ophiomyia simplex''), a leaf-mining fly * Asparagus fern caterpillar, also known as beet armyworm (''Spodoptera exigua''). *Asparagus fly ('' Platyparaea poeciloptera''), a fruit fly *Fusarium root and crown rot, caused by two species of fungi, '' Fusarium monoliforme'' and '' Fusarium oxysporium asparagi'' *Asparagus rust, caused by the fungus '' Puccinia asparagi'' *Botrytis blight, caused by the fungus ''

Botrytis cinerea ''Botrytis cinerea'' is a necrotrophic fungus that affects many plant species, although its most notable hosts may be wine grapes. In viticulture, it is commonly known as "botrytis bunch rot"; in horticulture, it is usually called "grey mould" o ...

'' *The

larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. ...

e of some Lepidoptera species have been recorded feeding on ''Asparagus''. These include '' Coleophora lineapulvella'',

ghost moth The ghost moth or ghost swift (''Hepialus humuli'') is a moth of the family Hepialidae. It is common throughout Europe, except for in the far south-east. Female ghost moths are larger than males, and exhibit sexual dimorphism with their differ ...

, the nutmeg, small fan-footed wave, and

turnip moth ''Agrotis segetum'', sometimes known as the turnip moth, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Michael Denis and Ignaz Schiffermüller in 1775. It is a common European species and it is found in Africa and across ...

Invasive species

'' A. asparagoides'', known as bridal creeper, is a problematic weed in southern Australia. ''Asparagus asparagoides'', ''A. aethiopicus'' (under the name ''A. densiflorus'') and ''A. scandens'' are listed on the New Zealand

National Pest Plant Accord The National Pest Plant Accord (NPPA) is a New Zealand agreement that identifies pest plants that are prohibited from sale and commercial propagation and distribution. The Accord initially came into effect on 1 October 2001 between regional coun ...

since they are

invasive plants An invasive species otherwise known as an alien is an introduced organism that becomes overpopulated and harms its new environment. Although most introduced species are neutral or beneficial with respect to other species, invasive species adv ...

. '' A. setaceous'' is officially recognized as an invasive species in Rio Grande do Sul State,

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

.https://www.sema.rs.gov.br/upload/arquivos/201612/23180118-portaria-sema-79-de-2013-especies-exoticas-invasoras-rs.pdf

Gallery

Image:Asparagus acutifolius frutos.jpg, ''

'' Image:Asparagus aethipicus Sprengeri1SHSU.jpg, ''

'' Image:Asparagus asparagoides leaves.jpg, ''

'' Image:Asparagus fern.JPG, ''

'' Image:Asparagus falcatus habit.jpg, '' Asparagus falcatus'' Image:Asparagus fallax02.jpg, '' Asparagus fallax'' Image:Asperge planten Asparagus officinalis.jpg, ''

'' Image:Asparagus setaceus Leaves 2760px.jpg, ''

'' File:Asparagus stipularis (detail).jpg, '' Asparagus stipularis'' Image:Asparagus tenuifolius1Georgi Kunev.jpg, '' Asparagus tenuifolius'' Image:Asparagus umbellatus (La Fajana) 03 ies.jpg, '' Asparagus umbellatus'' Image:Asparagus verticillatus1Georgi Kunev.jpg, '' Asparagus verticillatus''

References

Bibliography

*Fellingham, A.C. & Meyer, N.L. (1995) "New combinations and a complete list of ''Asparagus'' species in southern Africa (Asparagaceae)". ''Bothalia'' 25: 205-209.

External links

*
Sorting Asparagus names
- multilingual listing of the ''Asparagus'' species

{{Authority control Asparagaceae genera